Sheet handling mechanism for printing machines



July 12, 1932. J R F 1,866,562

SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed April 10. 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet l July 12, 1932. A. J. GRAF SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed April 10. 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 f Q I mu w m\ I w 6 1 km 0.0 mm .n h m W a- $6. I. u-|

i 25 Connected to the Patented July 1932 fomrso STATES PATENT OFFICE Janannr J. em, or wnsrrmn, New ASSIGNOB r0 3.. non a 00,1110. or new YORK, N. Y, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK sauna: -mnr.nve meme! 'roa rnmrme monmns Application filed April 10, 1930. Serial No. 443,140.

Thisjinvention relates to printing machines which deliver the printed product in sheet form and especially to the mechanism for raising and lowering the support on which the. sheets are piled or stacked. As herein shown, the mechanism isarranged for use with a delivery, with slight modifications,

it can be adapted for use with a feeder.

"10 An object of the invention is toprovide a mechanism that will automatically. raise or lower a support for a pile of sheets, at a rate that will maintain the top of the pile at the v proper level for feeding the sheets therefrom when operating with a feeder, or-fgr receivmg the livery. I Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism by means of which, the pile 80 support ma .be quickly raised or lowered for loading, un oading, and to position the top of the pile at the proper operating level.

Another object of theinvention is toprovide a driving mechanism that is normally pile sup rt, but which is automatically disconnecte when the support reaches the limits ofits travel. v It is also an object of the invention to provide a ile support operating mechanism'of 80 general y improved construction, whereby the device will. be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and eflicient in its use. With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the comination and arrangement of parts, and in. the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed it being understood that various changes in t e recise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without de arting from the spirit of the invention.

sheets when operating a dee referred embodiment, of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying draw-' in wherein:

lgure 1 is a view of a portion of a printingmachine showing a portionof a pile sup-' port with the mechanism for operating it that is the subject of the invention;' I

but it will be understood that Figure 2 is a vertical view partly in section, of the operating mechanism shown in F gure 1, as Viewed in the direction of arrow 2 of- Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged viewof a portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the mechanism shown in Figure 3 as viewed on the dotted line AA and in the direction of arrow 4;

tion showing the operating clutch member as .1

see; inthe direction of arrow 6 of Figure 4; an

Figure 7 is another detail view showing the operating clutch member in section as seen in the direction of arrow 7 of Figure 4.

a The drawings show the invention adapted "60 Figure 5 is an enlarged view partly in sec for use with a delivery pile support for a printing machine from which the product is delivered in sheet form. The numeral 11 indicates a base frame for a printing machine,

12 indicates a side frame, and 13 indicates the main cross member of the pilesupport. A pair of arms, one of which is shown at 14, are pivotally connected by the pin 15 to lugs formed on the cross member 13. Thev arms 14 serve to support the platform 16 on which the sheets are piled.- The pile support is suspended from the machine-frame in a manner heretofore known, and includes a pair of chains, end of each chainis secured to an eye bolt and the other end is secured to an eye bolt '19, whichpasses through a hole in a bracket 21, that is secured to the cross member 13, E :nuts 22 whichare threaded on to the eye bolt 19 being provided for adjustment. The 4 intermediate portion of the chain which is diagrammatically indicated, passes over sprockets indicated at 23 23 is secured to a shaft 25, which is rotatably supported in the side frames 12, while the sprocket 24 is rotatably supported on a stud one of which is shown at 17. One

.18 that is screwed into the cross member 13,

and 24. Sprocket .secured to the base 11. The worm wheel 26 v is secured the shaft 25 and is engaged by a worm 27 rotatably supported on the shaft 28, which in turn isrotatably supported in bearing brackets 29 and 31 suitably secured to the side frame 12. A clutch comprises memunder side of the clutch member 33, thus holding it in engagement with the clutch member 32, and acting to drive the worm wheel 26. It will be understood that by rotating the shaft 28, that the pile support may be raised or lowered as desired.

In accordance with common practise in the art, the delivery of a printing machine includes apair of chains, one of which is diagrammatically indicated by the lines 37 and 37', and it passes over sprockets indicated diagrammatically at 38 and 39, the latter being shown at 39 on Figure 2. It will be understood that these chains are connected by cross bars carrying grippers which engage the sheets andcarry them from the printing cylinders to a point over the delivery pile where they are released, and that they are driven by the printing machine and in properly timed relation -to the printing cylinders.

The sprocket 39 is secured to the shaft 41, which is rotatably supported in the frame 12. The pinion 42 is also secured to the shaft 41,

and meshes with the gear 43, rotatably supported on the stud 44. A bracket 45 is secured to the gear 43 and carries a crank pin 1 46. An arm 47 serves to connect the crank pin 46 with a pin 48, carried by the arm 49, that is rotatably supported on the stud 51, secured to a bracket 52, that in turn is secured to the frame 12 by means of bolts 53. The arm 49 carries a pin 54, on which the pawl is pivoted. The pawl engages with a ratchet wheel 56 rotatable on the stud 51. A spring 57 is secured to the arm 49 and acts to push the pawl 55 into engagement with the ratchet wheel 56'. A bevel gear 58 is secured to the ratchet wheel 56 and meshes with the bevel gear 59, which is formed on a sleeve 61, which turns on the shaft 28 and is rotatably supported by the split bearing 62, one' half of which is formed integral with the bracket 52, the other half of the bearing, being in the cap 62'. The sleeve 61 is formed with a clutch member 63 on its lower extremity and a similar clutch member 64 is formed on the collar 65 that is keyed to the shaft 66.

A double operating clutch is provided, that is shown in detail in Figures 6 and 7. It consists of an outer ring 67, having a groove 68, in which rollers 69 are fitted to run. The rollers turn on pins secured to a forked operating lever 71, that is pivoted at 72 to lugs formed on the bracket 52. As shown in Fig- The clutch ring 73 is fitted to slide on a.

feather 76 on the shaft 28, and is provided with a spring 77, one end of which abuts against the flange 73' on the inner clutch ring, while the other end abuts against the flange 67' on'the outer ring. Pins 78 thatv are shown in Figure 6, are secured to the inner clutch ring 73 and operate in grooves cut in the flange 67' of the ring 67 and similar pins 79 are secured to the ring 67 and operate in grooves cut in the flange 73. It will thus be understood that a spring abuts against the pins and the flanges and tends, to hold the clutch member in a central position with respect to the forked lever, but that the latter may be moved either up or down to engage the clutch, and if the shafts are not in the engaging position, the spring will be compressed and when the driving member is rotated, the clutch will then spring into engagement. v

In the drawings, theforked lever 71 is shown in the neutral position and it is held there by means of the notched bar 81, which is pivotally connected at 81' with the forked lever 71. A stud 82 is secured to the cap 62 and is provided with a,-pin 83 that engages with notches cut in the bar 81.v The spring 84 acts to rotate the bar on the pivot 81 and into engagement with the pin, thus holding the forked lever either in the neutral position as shown, or in'one of the clutch engaging positions. A handle 85 is secured to an arm 86, that is fastened to a. guard 87 and rotates on the stud 51. The periphery of this guard is concentric with the periphery of the ratchet wheel 56, but is made with a larger diameter except at a cut-away rtion 87 A pin 55 projects from both sldes of the pawl 55 to which it is secured. It will be understood that when the pawl 55 is traversing-the cutaway portion of the guard that it Wlll engage the ratchet wheel 56, but that when it reaches the portion that is not cut away, the pawl will be lifted out of engagement with the ratchet wheel, Thus, by moving the handle 85, the effective travel of the pawl 55 may be varied. A scale 88 is secured to the side frame 12 and serves as a auge for setting the guard. The lower side o the guard is formed with teeth at 89 that are engaged by a-latch 91 that slides in a hole 92 in the bracket 52, and is pressed into engagement with the guard by the spring 93, thus providing means for holding the guard in the desired position.

A second guard member 94 is pivoted at 95 on an arm 96 that is part of the gear hous ing. The guard member 94, under normal conditions, is concentric with the cut-away portion of the guard 87 When the impression of the printing cylinders of the machine is tripped, the link 97 which is shown pivotally connected to the arm 98 of the uard member 94, is moved toward the le (in Figure 1), thus raising the guard member 94 to a position where the pin will prevent the pawl from engaging the ratchet 57. The shaft 66 is connected by worm gearing in a well known manner with a shaft 101 that is coupled to the motor 102. It will thus be understood that when theforked lever 71 is thrown downward, that the motor 102 will be connected to the shaft 28, and will rotate the gear 26 to quickly raise or lower the pile support as desired. When the lever 71 is thrown upward, it will connect the shaft 28 to'the sleeve 61 which is driven through the gearing by means of the pawl and ratchet mechanism that is connected to the sprocket 39 and is thus driven from the delivery of the printing machine and in timed relation there to. If the pile support reaches the limits of its travel or meets with an obstruction, the additional load imposed on the parts will act to compress the spring 36, and allow the spring coupling members 33 and 34 to separate, thus disconnecting the shaft 28 from its drive, this action being effective when the pile elevating mechanism is being driven either by the motor or byvthe printing machine.

In operation, the pile support will be raised by the motor to its position ready to receive sheets, and the handle 85 will be adjusted to the correct feeding position. When thick paper is being handled, it will be adjusted to' allow the pawl to advance the ratchet wheel several notches at each stroke, but with thinner paper, it will be adjusted for a shorter travel thus lowering the pile support gradually as the sheets are piled on top of it.-

When the feeding mechanism fails to deliver a sheet tothe printing cylinders, it is com-. mon practise to trip the impression and with the mechanism shown herein, this results in disconnecting the mechanism that is used to lower the-pile, and itis therefore possible to operate the presswhen not printing without lowering the pile, but if the impression is thrown on, the pile operating mechanism is automatically connected.

What I claim is:

1. In a mechanism for operating a vertically movable, pile support for a sheet fed printing machine, means operated by the machine, for moving the pile support at a slow speed,

' to maintain the top of the pile at a substantially constant level, means operated by a separate source of power for moving the ile support at a higher rate of speed, and a saftty device for disconnecting the said means cally movable pile support for a sheet fed printing machine, means operated by the machine for moving the pile support at a relatively slow variable speed to maintain the top of the pile at the proper level, means operated by power from a separate source, to move the pile support at a higher rate of speed, and a safety device for automatically disconnecting the said means when the motion of the pile support is obstructed.

3. In combination with a printing machine having a sheet delivery, a mechanism for operating a pile support for the delivery, a pawl operated means connected to a moving part of the machine for moving the support vertically, means to adjust the effective motion of the pawl to vary the normal rate of movement of the pile support, a motor geared to move the support vertically, a two way clutch arranged to permit moving the support by either the means. connected to the printing machine or by the motor, and a yielding coupling adapted to disconnect the mechanism for operating the pile support when said support reaches its limits of travel.

4. In a pile delivery mechanism for a printing machine, a vertically movable pile I support, means for lowering the support at a speed that maintains the top of the pile at a substantially constant level, said means acting only while the machine is delivering wheel operatably connected to said members,

a driving shaft, a worm gear rotatable on the shaft and securedto one member of a clutch, the other member of which is caused to rotate with the shaft, yielding means arranged to normally hold the clutch members in engagement with each other, means for rotating the shaft at the speed required to maintain the top of the. pile at a substantially fixed level, and a motor arranged to rotate the shaft at a higher speed; said yielding means being arranged to yield when the movement of the pile support is obstructed.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

ALBERT J. GRAF.

when the motion of the pile support is obstructed.

2. In a mechanism for operating a verti- 

